Aeroplane wing



Jan. 21, 1930. w. J. OCONNOR AEROPLANE WING Filed June 14, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR ATTORNEY Jan. 21, 1930. w. J. OCONNOR AEROPLANE WING il June 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet Na w WJ 0601072073 .NVE TOR AT TORNEY Patented Jan. 21, 1930 UNITED STATES WALTER J. OCONNOR, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

AEIBIOPLAN E WING Application filed .Tune 14,

This invention relates to an aircraft wing, the general object of the invention being to so form the wing that a higher efliciency results from the use of the improved wing by securing a smoother flow of air over the upper side of the wing at low or stalling speeds and then automatically or manually operating means which causes the air to act on the wing in the ordinary manner.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure l is a fragmentary plan view, with parts in section, of the improved wing.

Figure 2 is a section on line 2--2 of Figure 1, showing the parts in closed position.

Figure 3 is a similar view, but showing the parts in open position. 4

As shown in these views, the front portion of the wing A is formed with an opening 1 in the lower part of its nose and an opening 2 in its top slightly in rear of the nose part, the openings being connected together by a passage 3 which is formed by the side portion 4 of the nose and a partition member 5 which extends from the rear Wall of the opening 2 to a point intermediate the front and rear walls of the opening 1. A flap 6 1s arranged in the opening 1 and is pivoted intermediate its ends to the wing, the pivotal point 7 being arranged at the lower terminal of the partition 5. A flap 8 is pivoted at its front edge to the upper edge of the solid part 4 and the front edge of the flap 6 and the rear edge of the flap 8 are formed with recesses 9 for receiving portions 10 of the a solid portions of the wing so that when the flaps are closed, they will snugly close the openings and form eontinuations of the surfaces of the wing. The tail end of the flap 6 fits in a recess 11 formed in the rear wall of so the opening 1.

1929. SeriaLNo. 370,902.

Inwardly extending ears 12 are fastened to the flaps and links 13 connect these ears with a substantially T-shaped member 14 arranged on a shaft 15 journaled in the wing. Each link is connected with an arm of the T-shaped member and a spring 16 is connected with the third arm and with a solid part of the wing.

The parts are so arranged that the spring tends to hold the flaps in open position, as shown in Figure 3, and as will be seen from this figure, when the flaps are in open position, the tail of the lower flap 6 will project below the nose of the wing so that it will be acted on by the air currents and when the craft has reached a certain speed, these cur rents, acting on the tail part of the flap 6, will close said flap and the flap 8, as shown in Figure 2. Thus the flaps are automatically closed when the speed of the craft reaches a predetermined degree.

The shaft 15 is also manually operated to operate the flaps by suitably connecting the shaft to a lever or the like arranged in'the cockpit of the craft.

From the foregoing it will be seen that when the flaps are opened, air currents will pass through the opening 1 and through the passage 3 and escape through the opening 2 so that a smooth flow of air over the upper side of the Wing is secured at low or stalling speeds and by making the opening 1 of larger area than the opening 2, the speed of the air currents through the passage is increased and they will pass through the opening 2 to the top of the wing at a greater speed than that in which'they enter the passage.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of the invention will be readily apparent. 0

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is -1. A wing for an aircraft having a passage passing through the nose part thereof, the lower end of the passage being arranged forwardly of the upper outlet end thereof, flaps we for closing the ends of the passage and means for automatically closing the flaps when the craft reaches a certain speed.

2. A wing for an aircraft having a passage 5 passing through its nose portion, the lower end of the passage being arranged in advance of the upper and outlet end thereof, flaps for closing the ends of the passage, means for normally holding the flaps in open position and means for automatically or manually closing the flaps, the flaps closing automatically when the craft reaches a certain speed.

3. A wing for an aircraft having a passage passing through its nose part, with the lower end of the passage arranged in advance of the upper and outlet end thereof, flaps for closing the ends of the passage, the lower flap having a tail which, when the flap is in open position, will project below the nose whereby said tail will be acted on by the air currents when the craft reaches a certain speed so that the flap will be closed, means for connecting the upper flap with the lower flap whereby the upper flap willmove in unison 5 with the lower flap and means for normally holding the flaps in open position.

4. A wing for an aircraft having a passage passing through its nose part, with the lower end of the passage arranged in advance of the upper and outlet end thereof, flaps for closing the ends of the passage, the lower flap having a tail which, when the flap is in open position, will project below the nose whereby said tail will be acted on by the air ourrents when the craft reaches a certain speed so that the flap will be closed, means for conneoting the upper flap with the lower flap whereby the upper flap will move in unison with the lower fiap, means for normally holding the flaps in open position and means whereby the flaps can be operated by hand.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

WALTER J. OCONNOR. 

